actor in Beaumont and Fletcher's ‘Bonduca’ (1615–16), ‘Loyal Subject’ (1618), ‘Mad Lover’ (1618), ‘Humorous Lieutenant’ (1618), ‘Island Princess’ (1619?), ‘Women Pleased’ (1619?), ‘Little French Lawyer’ (1620–1), ‘Customs of the Country’ (1621?), ‘Laws of Candy’ (1622), ‘Sea Voyage’ (1622), and ‘Spanish Coast’ (1622). He married Anne Jacob at St. Saviour's Church, Southwark, 20 Feb. 1602–3. He was alive in 1623, when a fellow-actor, Nicholas Tooley, released him of a debt.
[Collier's Lives of the Actors, pp. 241, 245–8; F. G. Fleay's Actor Lists, 1578–1644, in Royal Hist. Soc. Transactions, ix. 44 et seq.; Collier's Hist. of English Dramatic Poetry; G. F. Warner's Cat. of Dulwich MSS.; Alleyn Papers, ed. Collier (Shakespeare Soc.)]
ECHARD, LAURENCE (1670?–1730), historian, son of the Rev. Thomas Echard or Eachard of Barsham, near Beccles, Suffolk, by his wife, the daughter of Samuel and Dorothy Groome, was born at Barsham, and on 26 May 1687, at the age of seventeen, was admitted a sizar of Christ's College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1691 and M.A. in 1695. Echard, having been ordained by Moore, bishop of Norwich, was presented to the livings of Welton and Elkington, Lincolnshire, and was appointed chaplain to the Bishop of Lincoln. For more than twenty years Echard resided in Lincolnshire, chiefly at Louth, where during that time he wrote a number of works. On 24 April 1697 he was installed prebendary of Louth in the cathedral of Lincoln, and on 12 Aug. 1712 archdeacon of Stow (Browne Willis, Survey, 1742, iii. 213, 131). In 1707 he brought out his ‘History of England from the first entrance of Julius Cæsar and the Romans to the end of the Reign of James the First.’ In 1718 he published two further volumes, bringing the history down to the ‘establishment of King William and Mary,’ and in 1720 an appendix, ‘consisting of explanations and amendments, as well as new and curious additions to that History. Together with some apologies and vindications.’ Archbishop Wake, in a letter to Addison, dated 31 Dec. 1717, calls his attention to ‘honest Mr. Eachard, who is now on his way hither to publish his History, and present it, as we agreed, to his majesty. His circumstances are so much worse than I thought, that if we cannot get somewhat pretty considerable for him, I doubt he will sink under the weight of his debts. … I verily believe that 300 guineas for the 3 vols. may as easily be procured from the king as 200l.’ (Aikin, Life of Addison, 1843, ii. 211–12). Echard's ‘History,’ though it gave rise to many adverse criticisms, retained its popularity until it was superseded by Tindal's translation of Rapin. It is chiefly remarkable for the insertion of Captain Lindsey's astonishing narrative concerning Cromwell's interview with the devil on the morning of the battle of Worcester (3rd edit. p. 691). In or about 1722 Echard was presented by George I to the livings of Rendlesham and Sudborne in Suffolk. Here he lived in bad health for nearly eight years. He died at Lincoln, while on his way to Scarborough for the benefit of the waters, on 16 Aug. 1730, and was buried in the chancel of St. Mary Magdalen's Church on the 29th of the same month. Echard married twice, first Jane, daughter of the Rev.—Potter of Yorkshire, and secondly Justin, daughter of Robert Wooley of Well, Lincolnshire. There were no children by either marriage. He was a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and a near relation of John Eachard [q. v.], the author of the ‘Grounds and Occasions of the Contempt of the Clergy.’ In some of Laurence Echard's earlier books his name is spelt ‘Eachard.’ His portrait, by Vertue after Kneller, is prefixed to the third edition of the ‘History of England,’ London, 1720, folio. Besides the ‘History’ and two single sermons he published the following works, all of which were originally issued in London:
- ‘An Exact Description of Ireland,’ &c., 1691, 12mo.
- ‘A Description of Flanders, or the Spanish Netherlands,’ 1691.
- ‘A Most Compleat Compendium of Geography, General and Special; describing all the Empires, Kingdoms, and Dominions in the whole World,’ &c., 1691, 12mo; fourth edition, 1697, 12mo; sixth, 1704, 12mo; seventh, 1705, 12mo; eighth, 1713, 12mo.
- ‘Plautus's Comedies, Amphitryon, Epidicus, and Rudens made English; with Critical Remarks upon each Play,’ 1694, 8vo; second edition, corrected, 1716, 12mo.
- ‘Terence's Comedies, made English. With his Life; and some Remarks at the end. By several hands, 1694, 8vo; second edition, corrected, 1698, 12mo; third edition, 1705, 12mo. ‘By Mr. Laurence Echard and others. Revised and corrected by Dr. Echard and Sir R. L'Strange;’ fifth, 1718, 8vo; sixth, 1724, 12mo; ninth, 1741, 12mo.
- ‘The Gazeteer's or Newsman's Interpreter: being a Geographical Index of all the considerable Cities, Patriarcships, Bishopricks, … in Europe,’ &c. Third edition, 1695; sixth, 1703; eighth, 1706; tenth, 1709; eleventh, 1716; twelfth, 1724; fifteenth, 1741, all 12mo. It was also translated into French, Italian, and Spanish.
- ‘The Roman History from the Building of the City to the Perfect Settlement of the Empire by Augustus Cæsar,’ &c., vol. i., fourth edition, 1699, 8vo.
- ‘The
